Page 14 - Usa

US asks diplomats to leave Nigeria amid rising fear of terrorist attack

The State Department on Thursday ordered the families of U.S. embassy staffers in the Nigerian capital to leave due to heightened fears of a terrorist attack as it repeated a warning for all Americans to reconsider travelling to any part of the country and not to visit Abuja at all. The announcement came just two days after the department said it would allow nonessential personnel at the embassy in Abuja to depart voluntarily due to elevated security concerns. It did not provide details but the change suggested the U.S. has indications that an attack may be imminent. The department (has) ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government employees from Abuja due to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks there, it said in a revised travel advisory for Nigeria. Nigeria has battled an Islamic insurgency in its northeast for more than a decade, but attacks have been rare in Abuja. In 2011, Islamic extremists linked to the Boko Haram group targeted the United Nations building

US to send Ukraine additional $275 mn in military aid in war against Russia

The Pentagon is sending Ukraine a new $275 million package of weapons and other aid, in a move to bolster the effort to drive Russian forces out of key areas in the south as the winter closes in, U.S. officials said Thursday. Officials said there are no major new weapons in the U.S. package, which is expected to be announced on Friday. Instead, the U.S. aid is largely aimed at restocking thousands of rounds of ammunition for weapons systems already there, including for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, which Ukraine has been successfully using in its counteroffensive against Russia. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of a package not yet made public. The new aid comes as federal officials made public the U.S. government's efforts to ensure that weaponry transferred to Ukraine doesn't end up in the hand of Russian troops, their proxies or other extremist groups. The plan, announced by the State Department on Thursday, notes t

US plans to fortify defence ties with India to deter China: Pentagon

Biden administration plans to advance its defence ties with India to enhance its ability to deter Chinese aggression and address gray zone coercion in areas such as disputed land borders

US pledges another $30 million in assistance for flood-hit Pakistan

The US on Thursday pledged an additional USD 30 million in assistance for Pakistan to help the people hit by the devastating floods that have affected 33 million people and killed 1,700 or more since mid-June. US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome made the announcement during a visit to the Shikarpur district of Sindh, where he helped to distribute emergency shelter, latrine, and hygiene kits to flood-affected people. The ambassador announced "an additional $30 million in humanitarian assistance to support flood-affected populations," according to a statement by the US embassy. "This new funding brings the United States total assistance to Pakistan for flood response, food security, and disaster preparedness and capacity building efforts to $97 million this year, it said. Blome also travelled to Makhno village where USG emergency shelter kits are being used as temporary housing by the flood-affected community. While there, he spoke with flood victims to learn about the impact of t

Omicron BA.2 less severe than its original and Delta variants : Study

The Omicron BA.2 subvariant is less severe than the Delta variant and to an even greater extent than the original Omicron variant, according to a research team led by investigators at the US-based Massachusetts General Hospital. Of 1,02,315 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the US from March 3, 2020 to June 20 this year, there were 20,770 labelled as Delta variants, 52,605 labelled as Omicron B.1.1.529 variants, the original Omicron variant, and 28,940 labelled as Omicron BA.2 subvariants, researchers found. Mortality rates were 0.7 per cent for Delta, 0.4 per cent for the original Omicron variant and 0.3 per cent for Omicron BA.2. The researchers said after adjustments, the odds of death were more than two times higher for the Delta and the original Omicron variant compared with Omicron BA.2. Patients with Delta and original Omicron variants were also more likely to need hospitalisation, invasive ventilation and intensive care admissions, according to the study, which has been published

Looking forward to key two-day UNSC counter-terrorism meet in India: US

Ahead of the 2-day UNSC counter-terrorism conference to be hosted by India, the US has described it as an important meeting to strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries to combat the global menace. India for the first time will be hosting the special meeting of the United Nations Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) which will discuss the overarching theme of Countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes'. Senior American diplomat Chris Lu is set to visit India as the head of the US delegation which will attend the meeting in Mumbai and New Delhi from October 28-29. Ahead of the key meeting, Lu, the US Representative for UN Management and Reform tweeted, "Looking forward to representing @USUN at this important #UN counter-terrorism convening, as well as strengthening the ties between the US and India." "Ambassador Lu will address issues of counterterrorism, as well as the important relationship between the two countries," the .

Religious freedom fundamental American value: Blinken at Diwali reception

Religious freedom is the fundamental American value and supporting it is a priority for US President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a Diwali reception hosted by him. Blinken made these comments on Wednesday, while addressing an impressive gathering of Indian Americans, including community leaders and those serving in the Biden administration. Religious freedom is an invaluable part of the United States diplomacy because it actually helps us build bonds with other nations and with people around the world, he said. Religious freedom is a fundamental American value, and supporting it is a priority for President Biden, Blinken asserted. One way that we show our support religious diversity is through helping preserve vital pieces of cultural heritage around the world. Through efforts like the US Ambassadors Fund for cultural preservation, we're helping restore damaged historic buildings or helping to recover lost or stolen cultural objects, like paintings and ...

Stop sending weapons to Russia to kill Ukrainians: US tells Iran

The US called out to Iran to stop sending weapons to Russia to kill Ukrainians as the war between Kyiv and Moscow escalated in the past few weeks

Russia recruiting Afghan soldiers trained by US to fight in Ukraine: Report

Afghan commandos who had been trained by Allied forces to fight the Taliban are now being recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine, a media report said

EU, US set up task force to resolve feud over electric vehicle batteries

The U.S. and the European Union have set up a task force tasked with resolving a dispute over electric vehicle batteries that the EU says would discriminate against manufacturers in the 27-nation bloc and break World Trade Organization rules. Under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed by U.S. Congress in August, electric car buyers are eligible for a tax credit of up to $7,500 as long as the vehicle runs on a battery built in North America with minerals mined or recycled on the continent. The EU believes that the measure is a potential trans-Atlantic trade barrier discriminating against foreign producers. The EU announced on Wednesday that Bjoern Seibert, the head of cabinet to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met in Berlin with U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Mike Pyle to launch the task force. A first meeting will take place next week. The Task Force will address specific concerns raised by the EU related to the IRA," the Commission said. Both sides ..

Arizona governor puts more shipping containers along US-Mexican border

The state of Arizona has begun installing shipping containers along another section of the U.S.-Mexico border to fill gaps that aren't covered by a border wall. The move announced by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey on Monday to install stacks of containers in Cochise County in south-eastern Arizona came two weeks after federal officials told him to remove containers he had placed along the border in southwestern Arizona. Ducey sued in federal court on Friday, asking a court to allow the state to keep more than 100 double-stacked containers topped with razor wire in place near the community of Yuma, which sits near the California border. It also mentions U.S. Forest Service land where the new containers are being placed hundreds of miles to the east. The containers near Yuma were placed in August to fill gaps in the border wall as Ducey ratcheted up political posturing against what he called the inaction of the Biden administration in stopping migrants from entering the state from ...

Election of another Indian American candidate to US Congress almost certain

US midterm elections next month will almost certainly add a member to the "samosa caucus", as the Indian Americans in Congress call themselves, with the likely election of Shri Thanedar

More questioning sought of Donald Trump's aide in Mar-a-Lago probe

The Justice Department is seeking to again question an associate of Donald Trump who was seen on security camera footage moving boxes of classified records at the former president's Florida estate, according to a person familiar with the matter. Walt Nauta has already been interviewed by investigators examining the potential mishandling of classified government records at Mar-a-Lago and prosecutors want to speak with him again as they try to understand how boxes came to be relocated from a storage room at the property, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing probe. A Justice Department spokesman did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The Justice Department is investigating potential violations of multiple criminal statutes, including unlawful retention of national defense information and obstruction. It is not clear whether anyone will be charged. The obstruction aspect of the probe burst into public view in

One hug, one selfie for every American could improve Biden's rating: Allies

One handshake, one hug and one selfie at a time. If President Joe Biden could greet every American this way, longtime allies say, his approval ratings would soar. Biden has never been at his best in big speeches, where his delivery can be stilted, his stories sometimes meandering. It's the end of his speech that often marks the beginning of Biden's favourite part of an event the rope line, in the parlance of political operatives. He whirls around, scans the crowd and zeroes in on his first target for a one-on-one connection. It might be with someone like Tim Eichinger, a Milwaukee brewery owner who asked Biden a question during a TV town hall 20 months ago, and has since had a one-on-one videoconference with the president and seen Biden send a couple of letters to his grandson. It might be a small child Biden likes to carry some cash so he can discretely slip kids a few dollars and encourage them to buy ice cream. It might be someone who stutters they come in for special attenti

US: 2 killed in Missouri's St Louis high school shooting, gunman dead

A suspect was shot dead by police on Monday after two people were killed and six others were injured when the gunman opened fire at a St. Louis high school in the US state of Missouri

US Capitol insurrection: Court upholds ruling on Kelli Ward's phone records

A federal appeals court panel has upheld a ruling requiring phone records of the Arizona Republican Party's leader to be turned over to the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol. The ruling issued over the weekend by a divided three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals rejected claims by state party Chair Kelli Ward that her First Amendment rights would be chilled if investigators were able to learn whom she spoke with while trying to challenge former President Donald Trump's 2020 election defeat. Barring a successful appeal, the House committee will get records of calls Ward made and received from just before the November 2020 election to January 31, 2021. That includes a period when Ward was pushing for Trump's election defeat to be overturned and Congress was set to certify the results in favour of Democrat Joe Biden. The ruling by appeals court judges Barry Silverman and Eric Miller said that allowing the panel to get ..

US plans to control export of US semiconductor technology to China

Biden administration announced a dramatic expansion of controls on the export of US semiconductor technology to China

Progressive Democrats urge Biden to seek diplomatic solution on Ukraine

The 30 Democrats, led by Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, said in a letter to Biden that it was in the interest of the US and Ukraine to avert an extended conflict

Would a championship win for Phillies be a good thing for US economy?

Would a championship win for the Philadelphia Phillies be a good thing for the nation's economy?

Texas Guv celebrates Diwali with prominent Indian-Americans; greets PM Modi

The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has extended his Diwali greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he celebrated the joyous occasion with leaders of the Indian-American community at his sprawling official residence in Austin. Diwali or Deepavali is a festival that marks the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. On Sunday, Governor Abbott and first lady Cecilia Abbott were dressed in traditional Indian attire, as they greeted leaders of the Indian-American community and lit a lamp to commemorate the occasion. Abbott conveyed Diwali wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people of India and Indian Americans living in Texas and other states in the US. Tonight, Cecilia & I celebrated Diwali at the Governor's Mansion. We welcomed friends as we lit Diwali lamps & celebrated the victory of light over darkness, goodness over evil, & hope over despair. Happy Diwali to those celebrating the Festival of Lights! Abbott said in a ...